Second petition concerning banned snakehead is to seize and destroy fish

Someone has started a second petition on thepetitionsite.com concerning Chris Deverso's banned pet snakehead fish.

The newest petition is for the state's Department of Environmental Conservation to seize and destroy "Rocky." That petition had 70 signatures as of 10:00 p.m. Monday, but several of the petitioners expressed a desire to save the fish.

The first petition was to save the 10-year-old, 28-inch long snakehead fish, which Deverso purchased legally from a pet store in 1999, before a 2004 state ban on the invasive species, which -- if released -- can eat all the fish in a lake or pond. That petition had 595 signatures.

Deverso, from Clay, pleaded guilty last month to possessing the fish after DEC officials received a tip it was in his possession. The DEC has ordered that Rocky be destroyed, but has not yet taken the fish from Deverso's Clay home, where he keeps it in an enclosed 200-gallon tank. Deverso, has not heard from DEC officers since Thursday, when they aborted plans to seize the fish, fearing media coverage and interference from protesters, according to DEC Lt. Don Pleakis.

It appears some of the people who signed the petition to destroy Rocky meant to sign the petition to save him. Some of the comments clearly indicate some of the folks are supporters of Deverso and Rocky.

So, if you go to the site to sign one of the petitions, make sure you're signing the right one.